Increased risks for cancer survivors

London – A new study suggests cancer survivors treated for the disease during childhood may have increased health risks later on. As reported by Reuters, researchers found that individuals treated for cancer during childhood may have a higher death risk of a stroke, heart attack, or cancer for decades. The risks are associated with treatment received for the disease during childhood, which may expose them to radiation or toxic drugs.

Study leader, Raoul Reulen of Birmingham University, is quoted in the report as stating of the findings, “These findings confirm the importance of very long-term outcome data and that survivors should be able to access health care programs even decades after treatment.”

More information about the study may be available in the Journal of the American Medical Association.